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Showing posts from January, 2013

An apology to my blog readers

I'll make this short and sweet. I'm signing paperwork over the weekend on a new lease and moving out of this rentalhood. At my new location... I will have my own mailbox, affixed to the front of the house. I will not have children banging on my walls when the school bus unloads every day. I will have a paved and covered carport where I will not have to brave the muddy stepping stones and fall on my rear end trying to get into the house. There will be no reason for my neighbors' trash cans to block anything of mine.  I will not have that same dog barking at me and playing chicken in the road.  Any flood messes will be mine and mine alone - not that of my nieghbors' coming under the wall.  No neighbors having garage sales in my driveway.  And I know that all of this makes you all sad. But think of it this way, my friends... I'll have new neighbors to talk about and new adventures to share.  Or if I'm lucky... not much to say at all. P.S

Join Sue Edwards for the Revelation study launch TONIGHT!

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Revelation: Discovering Life for Today and Eternity.  Women need Bible study to keep balanced, focused and Christ-centered in their busy worlds. However, many find it difficult to set aside the time and discipline needed for an in-depth study. The Discover Together studies offer tiered questions to allow readers to choose a depth of study that fits with their individual lifestyles or schedules, even if they vary by the week, month or season. Sue Edwards will be kicking off her new  Revelation study with an online Facebook chat on January 30 at 8:00 PM EST. RSVP today and invite your friends to join you. In the weeks following the chat (February 4 – April 8), Sue Edwards will be hosting an online Bible study for Revelation . She will be posting weekly on the Year of Discovery Facebook Page and interacting with groups and individuals around the country going through the study at the same time. Women will be able to discuss the study with each other and ask questions via Faceb

How to make my latest dish -- the right and wrong ways

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As I was saying last night, I was going to post a step-by-step demonstration of making a really easy dessert. So, I'll do that, just as I was going to, then you can see where I went wrong. Sometimes the recipes I pull up on Pinterest are hits (the 8 Can Taco Soup) while others are misses (we must never speak of potato soup again). I made this "cobbler" once before and decided a week or so ago I wanted to do it again. That's becuase I put some fruit in a pie crust that needed to be used and it was too runny in a crust. There are only 4 ingredients, and supposedly it is Weight Watchers friendly since I consumed a massively high calorie, mega sugar infused Starbucks Frappachino over the weekend. I'm trying to be better. (By the way, just say no to Vanilla Spice, especially when the spice is cardamom. Had I known cardamom was a cousin to ginger, I wouldn't have ordered it in the first place. But, as usual, I digress.) All you need is two bags of frozen f

I have decided on a name for my reality show

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I have had someone say I need my own reality show. No, I cannot tell you who it was. I can, however, tell you the name and thus the premise: AUDRA NEEDS TO STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN Tonight's post was going to be a step by step of an easy dessert I had made before. Instead, made a mess. So, this is the teaser preview with the way overrated full post tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Come to the Table

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I am so fortunate to be sent so many books that I rarely request books for review. I only ask for my favorite authors/series. My blog readers well know I grab up Neta Jackson's books as soon as they come out. Her latest is Come to the Table , the second SouledOut Sisters book. (A spin-off series of the Yada Yada Prayer Group and Yada Yada House of Hope  series.) If you haven't read Stand by Me , it will be hard to pick up on what is going on in this book. You'll greatly benefit from reading the other series to be able to keep up with ALL the other characters in Come to the Table .  About the book:  Kat Davies is suddenly wondering if her good deed was a bad idea. Kat may be new in her faith, but she’s embraced the more radical implications of Christianity with reckless abandon. She invited Rochelle—a homeless mother—and her son to move in the apartment she shares with two other housemates. And she’s finally found a practical way to channel her passion for healthy e

The popcorn assault

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Tonight's blog is coming from the Pocket Sandwich Theater where Barack Obama's twin just delivered an oversold piece of cheesecake with chocolate and peppermint. Oh, and the popcorn is coming from all sides of the audience. Especially from a table two over where we can't decide if the guys are flirting or are gay. You kind of had to be there. At least I am NOT this obsessed with my projects. I don't take them to the dinner and theater. 

A blast from the past

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I was the party pooper who didn't go 80's like everyone else, but it sure was fun seeing everyone else's outfits. Happy Birthday Sam and Julie!

I've got to stop planning for my future

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It's no secret that I desperately want a house of my own. But, I have got to stop planning or shopping for when that someday happens. I simply do not have any space left in my current home. A few years ago, I went ahead and bought the chair and ottoman that matched the couch I was buying because someday, I was going to have a bigger place. I did have to get rid of some furniture that ended up being rotten in order to make the furniture fit. Now, I need to rehang a large picture and move some smaller things around because today, I bought this. I did get a really good deal on it. A local store is going out of business, and this was a shelf they had dishes, etc. displayed on. Before Christmas, I told them if they still hadn't sold it when they really got ready to move stuff out to call me. They called yesterday. When I decided I wanted the hutch, it had no doors on it. I liked it as a shelf and it goes well with some of my other furniture.  When I went to pick it up

At least it's clean

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You know how I hate to go to the grocery store. I don't think I can put it off much longer, do you? Thanks to picking up a few things at Braum's last night, I can have cereal or make pancakes. I could also make quesadillas since I got cheese. I think I can make it until the weekend - hopefully Sunday. Yes... I hate going to the store that bad. Or I hate making time for it that much. But, as some of the people said when I posted this picture on Facebook, at least my fridge is clean!

Enter to win the Love Finds You in Glacier Bay Alaska prize pack

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Celebrate with Tricia and Ocieanna by entering their "Glacier Bay" Giveaway and RSVPing for their Facebook Party on Feb. 12th! One fortunate winner will receive: A gorgeous handmade “Glacier Bay” bracelet A handmade cowl in “Glacier Bay” blues and greens A bottle of custom-made “Glacier Bay” sparkle polish in blue Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska  by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss and their two other “Love Finds You” titles { Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana , and Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington } Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 11th. Winner will be announced at the  "Glacier Bay" Author Chat Party on February 12th . Connect with authors Tricia and Ocieanna, get a sneak peek of their new book projects, try your hand at the Alaska trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be great giveaways—gift certificates, books, and more! So grab

Back to life, back to reality

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I must really be getting old. Actually, that's a fact. It's been 10 years since I last went on the Ft. Parker trip as a cabin counselor. That was before the trip became a three night event. I thought, "Oh, we'll get back, then I'll put in at least half a day's work. I can make up the other hours with no sweat." Or not. I came home, took a hot shower and washed my hair which made me feel like a different person. I went into the office to work and quickly zoned out. I took a long nap and only managed two hours of work in two different one hour sets of time. Not exactly what I needed to accomplish today. So, I'll spend the rest of the week trying to make it up. But, let me tell you. I really appreciate this love seat and ottoman at the moment. Like really appreciate it. I'll be appreciating my bed at a time earlier than it's been appreciated in a long while tonight. Normally, a few nights at the Holiday Inn is roughing it for me. Yes,

Very odd experience

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Today, we went out to Old Ft. Parker. It really was a fort and there's Cherokee history to it. I won't go into all that. But think 1800s. The odd experience has to do with the fact that the Renaissance fair weirdos, I mean actors were out ther practicing their parts. We got an education in 1533. It was entertaining, but like many things this weekend, you kind of had to be there. I am ready for my shower and bed.

I need sleep

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Just a quick confirmation that I am sleep walking through the evening after a small amount of not good sleep. Other than that, the retreat is great!

Retreating for the weekend

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I am at a youth retreat with the church kids this weekend, so posting may be tough for a few days. Here's a look at my bunk. Probably not a lot of good sleep happening there.

Make 2013 a Year of Discovery

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Discover Together Bible Study Series Allows Individuals and Groups to Dig Deeper into Scripture When it’s time to make New Year’s resolutions each January 1, many Christians undoubtedly put at the top of their lists being more diligent with their Bible studies. Sue Edwards and Kregel Publications challenge women not to let this resolution go by the wayside a few weeks in—like their latest diet or exercise program—by inviting them to join in The Year of Discovery an interactive online experience. With the launch of the Edwards’ Discover Together Bible Study Series (in stores January 16, 2013), individuals and groups will be able to participate in their choice of seven different studies that actively dig into six books of the Bible. The Discover Together Bible Study Series includes six of Edwards’ popular studies (Psalms, Proverbs Volumes 1 & 2, Luke, Ephesians and I Peter) that have been reorganized and revised to be more reader-friendly for both personal and group re

The loud crowd

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I keep planning to pack up my laptop and go somewhere else to work for a few hours at some point. I think a change of scenery would actually make me more productive. And for about 30 minutes today, it did. I decided I needed to take a break and get out of the house. I usually work through lunch time eating something at my desk. But, I needed to get out of the house. When I finally left, it was past the lunch rush, but instead of my laptop, I took my Kindle and a notebook to Whataburger so that I could work on some reading for a press kit. And I was productive for about 30 minutes. A study group of teenagers came in, and I just knew that they were going to get loud in the booth two back from me. Nope. They were actually studying. It was the senior citizen coffee crowd that ran me off. I thought they went in the mornings instead of the afternoons. I guess I was wrong. I'll keep that in mind. I may venture to the library next time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In other new

Mark your calendar for an evening with the authors of Secretly Smitten

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The "gals" are celebrating the release of Secretly Smitten with a fun Live Webcast on February 5th. They'll be debuting the *NEW* animated Smitten trailer, giving away tons of prizes, dishing on the book and their friendship. They'll also be wrapping up the Secretly Smitten blog tour , answering audience questions and testing your trivia skills. Don't miss the fun and bring your friends. Click here to RSVP and set up a reminder . About the book: Summer, fall, winter, spring—Smitten, Vermont, is the place for love . . . and mystery! There’s a secret in Grandma Rose’s attic—a forgotten set of dog tags belonging to her first love. But David Hutchins was killed in action and never returned to Smitten. How did the dog tags end up in the attic? The mystery intrigues Rose’s three granddaughters—Tess, Clare, and Zoe—and they decide to investigate, though their mother, Anna, warns against meddling. But as the seasons turn and the mystery unravels, the three

Enter to win a Downton Abbey Kindle Prize Pack from Julie Klassen

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Julie is celebrating by giving away one of the new Paperwhite Kindles, Downton Abbey (season 3) and hosting a fun Author Chat Party on Facebook. (January 31st) One fortunate winner will receive: A Kindle Paperwhite Downton Abbey, Season 3 A Julie Klassen library ( The Tutor’s Daughter, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Silent Governess) Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 30th. Winner will be announced at The Tutor's Daughter Author Chat Party on January 31st . Connect with Julie, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at the trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be great giveaways - gift certificates, books and season 3 of Downton Abbey! So grab your copy of The Tutor's Daughter and join Julie on the evening of the January 31st for a chance to connect with Julie and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't le

OCD in overdrive

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Other than going to church today, about the only thing I have done is try to untangle this yarn that should not have been so knotted with much yarn left. My OCD made me want to get it in a continuous string without cutting the yarn because I am deranged, but after at least 5 hours, I started cutting and still have a mess. I need to have my head examined. Especially considering this is all I have to talk about today.

Surely I am not the only one who has noticed this

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Let me begin by saying I'm having a hard time reconciling what day it is. After I got through with the work day yesterday, I went to pick up Paige so that she could go to a youth group event at the church. She stayed the night over here so that she would be here in town to read a scripture at Ladies' Day at church today. Since it's usually Saturday nights that she stays, and I spent time out at the church building today, it just feels Sunday-ish. Especially since I took a nap earlier. I needed it after we stayed up way too late watching Duck Dynasty, playing SongPop and a less than good night's sleep. This leads me to the real point of the post. Neither of my nieces, at ages 8 and 11 are quiet, still sleepers. A couple of years ago, I got rid of the daybed in my spare bedroom because neither of them liked to sleep on the other end of my house. They were more likely to sleep on the couch in the living room. And in reality, they prefer my bed. If Peyton isn&

I'm losing in SongPop to an 11 year old

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Paige and I are each on our Kindles on the love seat playing SongPop. And she is beating me. This is wrong. So wrong. I'm about to have to go country classics on her or something.